Just so," continued Akiva, "is it with us who study the law, in which (Deut. xxx. 20) it is written, ( He is thy life and the length of thy days; for if we suffer while we study the law, how much more shall we if we neglect it? Not many days after, it is related, this Rabbi Akiva was apprehended and thrown into prison. As it happened, they led him out for execution just at the time when " Hear, O Israel! fell to be repeated, and as they tore his flesh with currycombs, and as he was with long-drawn breath sounding forth the word one, his soul departed from him. Then came forth a voice from heaven which said, "Blessed art thou, Rabbi Akiva, for thy soul and the word one left thy body together.